The Doctor and His Maiden
by SaraBethie
Summary: After the Doctor loses Rose, he finds that he's lost his sense of purpose...until he meets a certain 12th century young woman by the name of Marian. To his surprise, he finds himself drawn to her. But will he face yet another disappointment? Set after "The Runaway Bride" in Doctor Who, right before Season 3.
1. A Timelord in Nottingham

**Calling all Doctor Who/Robin Hood BBC fans! First of all, this story has been in the back of my mind for almost 2 years now, but I never had the nerve to start writing it...until now. So I'm incredibly nervous even posting it. I've never written a Doctor Who story, so of course while writing the Doctor was really fun, it was also really intimidating! Especially since Ten is my favorite Doctor, so I'm really hoping I did him justice. I would really appreciate your feedback! I've watched a couple of Doctor Who/Marian videos on youtube that are fantastic, and there are a few crossover stories for them here on fanfiction...but not too many! I think Ten and Marian are actually an awesome dynamic so I'm really excited to hear what you guys think! **

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~~Prologue~~

He was alone.

Again.

Completely alone. And he hated it.

Then again, no one could get hurt as long as he was on his own, right? Because in the end, someone always got hurt, no matter how hard he tried to stop it. Staring blankly ahead, he barely noticed the force of the Tardis as it spiraled to what seemed to be its destination point. Or what was supposed to be the destination point. Actually, he wasn't quite sure where he was going this time. After saying farewell to the fiery and humorous red-headed Donna Noble, he had been wandering around in time and space...without any purpose. And the Tardis had felt it. The universe had been surprisingly quiet as well, as if it was mirroring his own emotions. Traveling had been so much more meaningful when _she_ had been with him. Her smile could cure him of his darkest mood. And every time she grew excited about anything, his excitement would only double. Yes, he missed her. So much.

But what made it even worse was that he loved her, and she loved him. He had let his emotions for this ordinary girl take over his entire being, and now that she was gone, a huge part of him had gone with her.

A sudden jolt threw the Doctor slightly forward and he quickly snapped back to attention. "Wait, what are you doing?" he exclaimed. The Tardis was changing its course of direction and advancing at a rapid speed to its destination. "Stop…hold on!" Pulling at any and all of the levers he could think of, the Doctor quickly came to the realization that the Tardis was determined to bring him somewhere, and he had to accept the fact that there was nothing he could do about it. Maybe there was someone out there who needed his help after all. Bracing himself for the landing, the Doctor reached for the railing and held on…tight. The Tardis tended to be a bit unpredictable with her landings, especially these days.

And as he expected, the landing was a bit rough, but nothing worse than usual. Brushing his pin-stripe suit off, the Doctor stepped toward the door, wondering what he would find this time. Tentatively stepping out of the Tardis, the Doctor quickly glanced around at his surroundings.

"Well, then. Trees. Lots and lots and _lots _of trees. Right. Time to find out where I am." As he proceeded to not only inspect the leaves with his sonic screwdriver but sniff them, the Doctor came to a solid conclusion that he was on Planet Earth.

"What _are _you doing?" a high-pitched voice asked.

Turning, the Doctor laid eyes on a little girl no more than eight or nine years of age. Her chestnut brown hair hung unkemptly around her shoulders. She was a pretty little girl, with her bright blue eyes and porcelain skin.

"Hello there. And who might you be?" he asked as he observed her medieval attire. The girl simply stared back as she perused him from head to toe, her brow creased in puzzlement.

"You're wearing funny clothes."

The Doctor affectionately patted his beloved suit. "Me, wearing funny clothes? I'll have you know that this is my best suit."

"That doesn't look like any suit of armor to me."

"Well, not that kind of suit. It's from…it's from…" the Doctor's eyes suddenly lit up, "France!"

The girl's mouth flew open. "France? You're from France? You don't sound French."

"Well, no. I'm not from France. But the clothes are French. Latest style I might add."

"Ohhh," the girl exclaimed in wonderment.

"Now maybe you could do me a favor and tell me where I am?"

"You're in Nottinghamshire, sir. I live right over that hill." She pointed haphazardly in the opposite direction. "My home is called Knightley Hall. It's a beautiful place. Want to come and see? Oh…" she suddenly trailed off.

The Doctor knelt down to her level. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know you very well. I shouldn't have asked you to come with me. Father would be displeased."

"Hey now, I wouldn't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with, alright?" the Doctor tweaked her chin and winked, forcing a smile from her pouty mouth. "We can just stay here and talk, if you like. _Would_ you like that?"

The girl nodded hesitantly.

"By the way, I'm the Doctor, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The Doctor bowed and the girl promptly curtsied, a shy smile creeping over her face. The Doctor scratched his head and twirled as he continued to examine the forest. "So...who's the King right now?"

The girl raised her eyebrows quizzically. "You don't know _who _the King is, sir?"

"Well…I…let's just say I've been away for a little bit."

"King Henry II, of course!"

"_Yes_, of _course_! Right." The Doctor's eyes lit up as the last few pieces of the puzzle came together. "And Richard-Richard's his son! Oh, _yes_!"

"You really have been gone a long time, haven't you?" Marian looked at him questioningly.

"So I bet you're Robin Hood's biggest fan, eh?"

"Robin Hood? Who's that?" she asked as she tilted her head to the side.

"Oh, haven't gotten to him yet, have you? Oh...right. No need for him yet."

The girl crossed her arms, her bottom lip sticking out a little further. "The only Robin I know is the worst boy alive! He teases me and pulls my hair! I hate him."

"Does he? Well, I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

"I'm sure he does. He's always calling me names…him and his horrid servant boy. Always trying to make me leave just when they're about to have fun. He says girls can't do what boys do."

"Tell you what, next time he says that to you, you tell him that girls are just as special as boys, alright?"

Her eyes widened. "You really think that?"

"I most certainly do."

"I've never met someone like you before."

"And I've never met a little girl as plucky as you. How old are you?"

"Eight, and I'm not little."

"Quite right. You're the most grown-up eight-year-old I've ever met. And I've met a lot of eight-year-olds."

A loud, whirring noise made the girl jump. The Doctor didn't need to figure out what was making the commotion…it was the Tardis. And she wanted some attention.

"What was that?" the girl asked as she stepped in the direction of the noise.

"That? Oh…that's me. I do some sort of whistling noise with my mouth sometimes. Bad habit…wait...little girl…hold on!"

"I'm not little!" she called back as she ran in the direction of the Tardis. It was out of sight at the moment, but he knew that she would eventually find it the further she went.

The Doctor ran after her, surprised at her agility. "Oh, to be young again," he muttered, out of breath. When he caught up to her, he found her standing stock-still…in front of the Tardis, her mouth opened even wider than before.

"What's that?" she whispered.

"It's…ummm…my carriage!"

"That's the strangest carriage I've ever seen. It's so small!"

"Well, it's actually bigger-"

"Marian!"

The Doctor and the girl both turned at the sound of the masculine voice.

"Oh no, I have to go!" she said quickly as she turned back.

"Marian...is that your name?"

"Yes!" she called out over her shoulder. "But I really have to go. My father wants me. I'm sorry!"

"No, no. Don't be sorry. Better go see what your father wants." The Doctor waved. Marian came to a grinding halt and glanced back.

"Will I see you again?"

The Doctor grinned. "Would you like to?"

Marian hesitated. "Yes."

"Then you just might. Oh, and Marian. Remember what I told you…about that Robin boy. Don't let him bully you. He might just be an important man someday…but he needs your help."

"Him, important? Never!" she said, scrunching her nose in disgust.

"Marian!" her father's voice called out again.

Marian jumped. "Sorry, have to go! Goodbye!" And just like that, she was gone, without a second look.

"Huh, how about that," the Doctor said. "I just met Maid Marian."

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**So...should I continue? I'm excited to hear your thoughts! :) **


	2. Robin Learns a Lesson

**Thanks so much for your encouragement with this story! I loved receiving your comments and feedback. This is going to be a tougher story to get out there because it's an unusual crossover. But I'm still having fun writing it. The Doctor isn't in this chapter (next one, promise!), but he's spoken about a lot. Also, towards the end I'm curious if you'll see any of the parallels between Amy and Marian. Well, at least the "waiting" part. My mind kept flying back to Season 5 of Doctor Who when Amy, as a little girl, was waiting for the Doctor to come back for her. There are some similarities, but hopefully it's still different! Enjoy. :)**

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Marian couldn't remember a time she had been more excited…or had run faster. As her legs kicked up behind her, she felt a surge of adrenaline pushing her forward.

"Oi, Marian, slow down, will you?" A red-faced boy with scruffy brown hair was panting behind her. He was followed by a boy with fair hair who seemed equally out of breath…if not more.

"Hurry up!" she called back. "We're not that far away now."

"Master, this…is…pointless!" the sandy-haired boy huffed as he struggled to formulate words. He seemed unaccustomed to running far distances.

"Yeah Marian, this better not be some sort of trick! You took me away from my target practice."

"Oh, hush up! You can get back to your silly old target practice anytime. It's not every day you find a funny blue box in the woods…and a funny man!" she replied, a gleam in her eyes.

"You sure you're not going daft?"

"I am not daft, Robin of Locksley!" she snapped. "And you'll be sorry you ever teased me so." Coming to an abrupt halt, Marian swiveled around to face them both. "Now, the blue box is only a few paces away. And that man should be somewhere around here. Doctor!" she yelled.

"_Doctor_?" Robin repeated mockingly. "That's his name?"

"That's what he told me, but of course it's not _really _his name. Just a title, silly! He must be a very important man. He's been to France, you know. And he wears funny round things on his face. Doctor, are you there?" she repeated, desperation slowly creeping into her voice. "I have friends with me who'd like to meet you! He was here just this morning, I swear," Marian said as she ran from tree to tree, a hopeful expression on her face.

The other boy crossed his arms, a scowl creasing his forehead. "If this is one of your pranks to get Master to spend time with you, it's not funny."

"It is NOT a prank! I couldn't care less about spending time with either one of you. And you should learn some respect when speaking to a lady, _Much_," Marian emphasized his name with obvious distaste.

Robin let out a rather unflattering guffaw. "You, a _lady_?"

Marian haughtily turned up her nose, choosing to ignore his comment. "Well, maybe he wandered off. I'll show you the blue box I found. I'm sure he won't mind. He said it's his carriage!"

"Now this is just getting ridiculous," Much complained as they followed her. "A blue box…that's a carriage?"

"I'm telling you, it's true. And it's right…here!" Marian's smile disappeared when she was met not with blue, but with green instead.

Robin and Much both began to laugh uncontrollably. "Trees...you brought us here to look at _trees_?" Robin said mockingly as he held onto his stomach to prevent himself from doubling over.

"It was here, I tell you!" Marian replied, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "I'm not making it up, so stop laughing. Stop it!"

"Come on, Much. Maybe if we make it back in time, we can target practice with the man in the blue box." This led to another round of boisterous laughter.

"I hate you. Both of you!" she sputtered as she blinked away the tell-tale tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. She always felt uncomfortable when she cried in front of anyone. It made her feel weak, and she couldn't look so vulnerable in front of this arrogant boy who she was so desperately trying to impress.

"No, you don't, or you wouldn't always be trying to spend time with me. I know you like me, Marian." Robin suddenly was inches away from her face, making her feel a bit uneasy. Much's laughter came to a grinding halt and he seemed just as uncomfortable as she was.

The nerve of him! Marian backed away, not liking him so close to her…and also not liking the way her heart fluttered in that strange way. "Don't flatter yourself. I loathe you!"

"Such big words. Since when did you become so high and-OW!"

She wasn't quite sure how it happened…or what came over her, but she felt her fist connecting with Robin's jaw, and saw him staggering backwards in response. Her hand ached, but she felt a gleeful sort of satisfaction creeping over her as Robin stared back at her in shock. Yes, the pain had been worth it.

"Master, are you alright?" Much fretted as he ran to his side. "Did she hurt you?"

"I'm fine…get off me, Much!" Robin angrily replied as he rubbed his jaw. "Let's go."

Marian nearly found herself apologizing, but she couldn't formulate the words. She didn't want to. But she assumed that Robin wouldn't be so forgiving. In fact, she just might be in more trouble than she realized. But what came out of Robin's mouth as he turned to look at her was certainly _not _what she was expecting.

"You hit well…for a girl," he mumbled as his eyes briefly met with hers.

Taken aback, she tried to speak, but nothing would come out. And was it her imagination, or did she detect a brief glimpse of admiration in his eyes?

The Doctor's advice to her came flooding back. "Girls are just as special as boys," she said quietly, finally finding her voice. "_And_ strong," she added a bit more forcefully.

Robin merely shrugged in response. He must have agreed somewhat, at least about the strong part, because he couldn't stop pressing on his jaw, which was beginning to look splotchy. Marian was stunned that he didn't have a witty comeback. As she watched them both trudge out of the woods, her heart felt heavy. Had she really imagined the strange man with the box? Or maybe she had gotten the spot mixed up. A lump settled in her throat as another thought crossed her mind that she hadn't really thought of. He could have left. Maybe he was on his way to meet the King. He seemed like an important sort of man, or at least Marian thought he was. But now she felt foolish, even though she had proven a point to Robin. Maybe he would at least be a little nicer to her now.

She couldn't explain why, but she really wanted to see the funny man again. In those short five or ten minutes he had made her feel…different. Special. As she circled around the spot where she was certain the blue box had been, her eyes fixed on something that was glittering in the tall grass. Curious, she bent down and parted the grass with her fingers. Her pulse quickened.

There, lying before her, was a tiny replica of the strange blue box. So tiny, she could fit it in the palm of her hand. She stared at it in wonder. Had the man left it for her? Her eyes lit up. Maybe he would come back and search for it! It was then she determined that she would come to this spot every single day, in hopes that the man who called himself the Doctor would come back.

And she kept that promise faithfully for the next five years. Every day, she waited for him, clutching the tiny box trinket in her hand. But every day, she would come back disappointed. Even when she began courting Robin of Locksley she would occasionally trek out to those woods, hoping she had not merely imagined that meeting so long ago. But when Robin left for the Holy Lands, her visits had grown less frequent, until she eventually stopped believing in the man's existence altogether. All she chose to remember of that day was that she had punched a very smug Robin in the face, causing him to finally take notice of her.

Because just as Robin had let her down, so had the man in the blue box.


	3. Surprise!

The Doctor held on for dear life yet again as the Tardis suffered from another hectic crash landing. After brushing himself off and jumping to his feet, he shook his head at his usually reliable girl.

"Twice in one week...really? Where have you dropped me off now? Oh…Camelot I suppose. Am I meeting the five-year-old version of Guinevere today?" Raising his signature eyebrow in apprehension, the Doctor took a deep breath and flung the Tardis doors open.

"What…same place as before?" The Doctor glanced at his surroundings again just to make sure. Yes, he was in the same forest, without a doubt. With one hand planted on his hip and the other at the back of his head, the Doctor tried to comprehend why the Tardis would bring him to the same place twice. There seemed to be no trouble brewing during his last visit…no abnormal alien encounters of any kind. In fact, it was the first trip that had been almost…relaxing. And he had met the famous Marian of the Robin Hood legend. Well, more like history than legend.

"I see what you're doing, you know," the Doctor said smugly as he shot a triumphant grin in the Tardis's direction. "You're trying to make me forget my troubles by talking to the little girl. Or am I meeting Robin Hood today? Clever, you know. Bringing me to a place where I don't have to do much. I suppose I'll just be waiting then. Miss Marian should be along any minute."

After waiting and wandering around for an hour (well, more like fifteen minutes, but he claimed it felt like an hour) with no sign of Marian, the Doctor decided to venture out on his own. If he recalled correctly, her home wasn't too far away if her father had been calling for her. As he approached the outskirts of the woods, the Doctor smiled in satisfaction. He could see the outline of a house not more than 20 yards away. A sudden _whooshing_ sound caught his ear and he followed it until it led him to a cleared field behind what he assumed was the girl's home.

But what he saw was no mere girl, but rather a young woman, and an uncommonly striking one at that. She was practicing her archery, and she seemed more than adept at fingering the bow and arrow. Half of her raven hair was pinned with an ornate clip, and the rest flowed loosely down her back. As he concealed himself behind a tree, he observed her in wonderment as she struck the bulls eye, or close to it, with nearly every shot. With her back to him, he had trouble distinguishing her features. Did she live here with the little girl? She could be an older sister perhaps...or a relative. Surely not her mother.

She must have been getting tired-her aim began to wander with each hit, until finally she struck the wood outside the rim of the target. The Doctor was just about to approach her when she threw down her bow in disgust and raised a hand to her forehead.

"Lady Marian!" a shrill voice called. "Your father has asked me to inform you that you both have been summoned to Nottingham to a council. You are to leave immediately. Make haste, child!" The Doctor turned to see an elderly woman waving to her from the house.

Marian? _His _Marian? But only a few days ago she had been a little girl. He watched as she begrudgingly made her way up the path to prepare for the council, a scowl upon her pretty face. Oh yes, he would recognize that haughty look and scowl anywhere. His Marian was all grown up. The Tardis seemed to have a plan for them both, but what was it?

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Marian linked her arm around her father's as they left the council room and made their way outside. Another pointless, exasperating session led by that slime ball of a new Sheriff was the last thing she had wanted to end her day with. It was always the same—raise the taxes…they needed more money for the Crusades…the people just didn't understand…on and on it went. The way her father had simply backed down and let the snake snatch away his position angered her. She shouldn't be leaving the castle at all right now. The castle used to be her home…her refuge. And now…well, it no longer was. When her father was Sheriff, he was just and kind. Vaisey was cruel and selfish to his very core.

And she had no one to confide in or share her fears with. Robin had abandoned her for the Holy Land, and her other so-called friends had all betrothed themselves to idiots and forgotten that she even existed. It was all for the best, or so she told herself. She wouldn't want to be burdened now with children or the running of a household. Besides, her father needed her.

Her mind drifted back to the council. There was a new man there today who had recently come under Vaisey's employment. The Sheriff had introduced him as Sir Guy of Gisborne, and what a stern man he was! Dressed in all black, and wearing a scowl on his face the entire time, he looked quite the part of the Sheriff's new lackey. She couldn't help but notice his gaze traveling to hers quite a few times during the meeting. Twice she had boldly met his stare, and each time he had turned away, like a guilty schoolboy who had been caught in a wrongdoing. Yes, she had grown quite used to the lingering stares of lovesick boys and their professions of love. With Robin in the Holy Land, it seemed that every single man in Nottingham had pounced on her within the past few years. And she had coldly refused them all.

As Marian and her father stepped into their carriage, she reflected on how quiet her father had become. Even now, he stared out the carriage window, a vacant look in his eyes. She knew he still regretted his passiveness when Vaisey took over, but Marian knew deep down that there was nothing he could have done. Her precious England was becoming more corrupt every day, and she hated it. If only she could do something…but her mind drew a blank every time she brought up the question.

As she rested her head on the cushioned backing, her eyes closed, traveling to a very different time…a time when she was young and innocent and things were simpler. And there was a man…a man she had dreamt of. She really must have been lonely. Over the years, she had determined that the Doctor was nothing but a figment of her own imagination. Perhaps she had seen the tiny blue box lying around in the woods and made up the entire story. She still had that blue box, and she really wasn't sure why she couldn't let go of it. Marian felt the heat rise to her cheeks when she thought of her foolishness and aversion to change. As soon as she returned home, she would throw that cursed blue box into the fire and be done with it once and for all. Marian smiled and began drifting into sweet sleep. Yes, that's exactly what she would do.

"Hello!" a strange voice whispered into her ear.

Startled, her eyes flew open and landed on the last person she ever thought she would see.


End file.
